Gena Rowlands, the award-winning American actress known for her intense and transformative performances, particularly in the films directed by her husband John Cassavetes, passed away on Wednesday at the age of 94.
Surrounded by her family, award-winning American actress Gena Rowlands took her final breath at her home in Indian Wells, California, according to reports from US media, including TMZ. While no official cause of death was immediately disclosed, it was known that Gena Rowlands had been battling Alzheimer’s disease for the past five years, as revealed by her son, Nick Cassavetes, in a statement to the New York Times earlier this year.
Gena Rowlands’ illustrious career is inextricably linked with the work of John Cassavetes, with whom she starred in ten films. The couple was married for nearly 35 years until Cassavetes’ death in 1989. Their cinematic partnership began in the 1960s, blossoming into a powerful and often volatile collaboration that explored raw, emotional themes of passion, self-destruction, and the dark undercurrents of human relationships, often set against backdrops of alcohol and infidelity.
One of Gena Rowlands’ most acclaimed roles came in 1974 when she portrayed a housewife’s harrowing descent into mental illness in A Woman Under the Influence. The film not only earned her the first of her two Oscar nominations but also established her as one of the most compelling actresses of her generation. Woody Allen, who directed her in Another Woman in 1988, once remarked that Rowlands was “incapable of an unreal moment.” Her extraordinary talent and depth left a lasting impression on audiences and co-stars alike, with Winona Ryder expressing in 1992, during their collaboration in Jim Jarmusch’s Night on Earth, that “whatever I say about Gena isn’t enough because she’s so incredible.”
Born on June 19, 1930, in Cambria, Wisconsin, Gena Rowlands was raised in a cultured middle-class family. Her father served as a state senator, and her mother was both a painter and an occasional actress. Gena Rowlands’ passion for acting led her to enroll at New York’s American Academy of Drama, where she honed her craft and met John Cassavetes in 1953. The following year, they were married, beginning a partnership that would become legendary in the world of cinema.
Their collaboration reached its pinnacle with A Woman Under the Influence, a film that not only showcased Rowlands’ extraordinary talent but also earned John Cassavetes an Oscar nomination for Best Director. In the film, Gena Rowlands delivered a hauntingly powerful performance as Mabel, a housewife spiraling into madness under the weight of her marriage’s complexities, alongside Peter Falk, who played her silent, hardworking husband.
After John Cassavetes’ death in 1989 from liver failure, a consequence of years of alcoholism, Gena Rowlands continued to work in film and television. She earned four Emmys for her television work and continued to captivate audiences with her performances. The couple’s three children, all of whom pursued careers in film and television, carried on their parents’ artistic legacy. Notably, Rowlands starred in The Notebook in 2004, directed by her son Nick, alongside Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams.
In 2012, Gena Rowlands married retired businessman Robert Forrest, and three years later, she was honored with an Academy Award for lifetime achievement, marking the same year she officially retired from acting. Gena Rowlands’ impact on the world of cinema remains profound, her performances resonating deeply with generations of audiences and filmmakers alike.
With AFP
